2016 Networking Summit Facilitator Biographies
Sedley Abercrombie
Lead Library Media Coordinator
Davidson County Schools
sedleyabercrombie@davidson.k12.nc.us
Sedley Abercrombie earned her MLS from ECU in 2011. She is the lead library media coordinator for Davidson County Schools, the president-elect for NCSLMA, and the only librarian in the cohort of teacher scholars with the NC Geographic Alliance. She has worked as a teacher and as a school librarian at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
Alan R. Bailey
Associate Professor & Head of Service
Teaching Resources Center, Joyner Library
baileya@ecu.edu
Over his 30-year career as a librarian, Alan Bailey has served as a school media coordinator, a branch manager of a public library, and has worked in community college and university libraries. He currently serves as an associate professor and head of the Teaching Resources Center at East Carolina University’s J.Y. Joyner Library.
Jen Baker
Media Coordinator
Pamlico County High School
jenniferbaker@pamlicoschools.org
Jen Baker is the media coordinator at Pamlico County High School, a 1:1 laptop school. She is currently collaborating on research projects with the entire English Department at PCHS using NoodleTools.
Christy Barham
Media and Technology Coordinator
Rockingham County Schools
cbarham@rock.k12.nc.us
Christy Barham is the Media & Technology Coordinator for Rockingham County Schools. Her most recent projects include makerspaces, eBooks, online and blended professional development, badging, and making global connections. Christy received her BA in Spanish from ASU, M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Technology from UNCC, and online teaching certificate through the LEARN NC Carolina Online Teaching Program.
Kira Chauvin Berggren
Media Coordinator
Millbrook High School
kberggren@wcpss.net
Dr. Kira Chauvin Berggren can be reached on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiracberggrenmededd. She can also be reached via her media center website.
Tom Bober
Teacher in Residence
Library of Congress
tbob@loc.gov
Tom Bober is the 2015-16 Library of Congress Audio Visual Teacher in Residence. Tom has been the School Librarian at R.M. Captain Elementary in the School District of Clayton (MO) since 2010. He formerly served as its Educational Technologist and previously worked at Pattonville School District as an Instructional Technology Specialist and elementary classroom teacher. He earned master’s degrees in Education and Information Science at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and University of Missouri Columbia, respectively, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at St. Louis University. He attended the 2013 Library of Congress Summer Teacher Institute and the 2014 Library of Congress Science Seminar and has presented on the use of primary sources in the classroom and library at national and state conferences as well as regional and district workshops.
Christie Canter
Media Specialist
Northern Middle School
canterc@person.k12.nc.us
Christie Canter has been the Northern Middle School Media Specialist in the Person County School District since 2009. She received her MLS from ECU in 2010 and her BA from Catawba College in 1991. With her middle school going 1:1, she has also assumed the duties of Instructional Technology Facilitator for her building.
Patch Clark
Professor/ Director Storybook Theatre
ECU School of Theatre and Dance
Clarkp@ecu.edu
Patch Clark is a Professor in the School of Theatre and Dance and director of Storybook Theatre. Their most recent productions include “Treasure Island,” “The Velveteen Rabbit” and “The Giver.” This past fall, she traveled with members of the troupe to Shimane, Japan to perform at the University of Shimane. She is the coordinator of Theatre Education and Theatre for Youth in the School of Theatre and Dance.
Tavia Clark
Media Coordinator
Currituck County High School
tclark@currituck.k12.nc.us
Tavia is the Media Coordinator at Currituck Co. High School. She graduated from UNC-Wilmington with a BA in English and Secondary Education and from ECU with a Master’s in Library Science. She was the NCSLMA 2013 Coastal Region Media Coordinator of the Year. She has a passion for reading and loves using and integrating technology to give students more opportunities to be creative and have fun while learning. Along with partner-in-crime Mollee Holloman, Tavia has co-created QuickTechbyTM.com, and the #YearofYA twitter book club (bit.ly/yearofya). They are the social media co-chairs for NCSLMA and are part of the NC Digital Leaders Coaching Network (NCDLCN) through the Friday Institute.
Teika Clavell
Educator on Loan
NC Department of Public Instruction
teikaclavell@ccs.k12.nc.us
Mrs. Teika Clavell is an Educator on Loan for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Digital Teaching and Learning Division and a Professional Development Facilitator for Cumberland County Schools.
Angela Finn
Library Department Chair
Ravenscroft School
afinn@ravenscroft.org
Angela Finn is the Middle School Librarian and serves as the Library Department Chair at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Angela holds an MLS from East Carolina University. This is Angela’s fourth year at Ravenscroft. She has over 16 years of library experience in both public and private school districts at the elementary and middle school levels. One of her primary responsibilities at Ravenscroft is to lead the authentic integration of information literacy and research skills at all grade levels, PreK-12. Prior to joining Ravenscroft, she was charged to examine and rewrite the Diocese of Raleigh School District’s Instructional Technology and Information Literacy Curriculum. Additionally, Angela has presented at the National Catholic Education Association Annual Conference and led several professional development sessions at the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh’s School Conference. Most recently, she presented at the NCAIS Conference (Meaningful Research in Geography) and last year’s Librarian to Librarian Networking Summit (Beyond Curiosity).
Barb Flohr
School Library Media Coordinator
Green Hope High School
bflohr@wcpss.net
Barb graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in English and from ECU with a MLS where she was also the Student Chapter President for the 2014-2015 school year. She is currently one of the media coordinators at Green Hope High School located in Cary, NC.
Joanna Gerakios
Lead Library-Media Specialist
Pitt County Schools
gerakij@pitt.k12.nc.us
Joanna Gerakios has a BS in Middle Grades Education and an MLS from East Carolina University. She has taught 8th grade Language Arts and Social Studies, and worked as a school Library Media Coordinator. Since first entering the public library as a child, and later as a parent and educator, she has been a library enthusiast. For the past eight years she has been the lead school librarian for Pitt County Schools, where she has overseen sixteen media center makeovers. Joanna is the immediate Past President of the NC School Library Association and is currently serving as the Recording Secretary for AASL’s Affiliate Assembly Coordinating Team.
Monica Gropp
Media Coordinator
Wake County Schools-
mgropp@wcpss.net
Monica Gropp earned her Master’s Degree in both public library and school media at North Carolina Central University. Mrs. Gropp is a graduate of Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Middle Grades Education with concentrations in Language Arts and Social Studies. She is also certified to teach reading to grades K-12. While in Ohio, she taught 9th grade World History and worked as a K-6 intervention specialist, working with students who struggled in reading and math. She moved to Raleigh in 2007 and taught 7th grade Language Arts/Social Studies at Durant Road Middle School for 6 years. This is her third year as a Media Specialist, and is extremely excited about it.
Kim Gugino
Teacher-Librarian
Durham School of the Arts
kimberly.fawks-gugino@dpsnc.net
Kim Gugino prefers the title teacher-librarian and is thrilled to support the students and staff at Durham School of the Arts. She holds an MEd from UNC-Greensboro, MLS from East Carolina University, and is a National Board Certified Media Coordinator. She is enjoying her work on the NCSLMA Young Adult Book Award Committee, and has facilitated numerous school based, district, and state professional development sessions, including ECU L2L, NC TIES, and NC Social Studies Conference. She is passionate about teaching and learning and can imagine no greater profession than librarianship.
Deanna Harris
Library Media Coordinator
East Cary Middle School
deeharris@wcpss.net
Deanna Harris is a National Board Certified Teacher and has been an educator for twenty-three years. Deanna has been a middle grades Language Arts teacher, an Educator-on-Loan at the NC Department of Public Instruction, and a middle grades Media and Technology Coordinator. She has presented at workshops and facilitated presentations for her school and local district as well as other districts, and for state and national organizations, including NCSLMA, AASL, and NSDC. She graduated from Meredith College with a BA in English and completed her MLS at NC-Central University.
Jennifer Hinton
Teacher Librarian
Durant Road Elementary School
jhinton@wcpss.net
Jennifer Hinton has a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Missouri and a Masters in Library Science from North Carolina Central University. She has worked in the Wake County Public School System for 20 years, and is currently the Media Specialist at Durant Road Elementary School. Jennifer enjoys exploring the emerging technology to support media services and lessons.
Mollee Holloman
Media Coordinator
Manteo Elementary
hollomanmo@daretolearn.org
Mollee is the teacher-librarian at Manteo Elementary School. She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a BA in Comparative Literature and from ECU with a Master’s in Library Science. She is the Dare County Schools 2015-2016 Teacher of the Year, and has learned the importance of building communities within the school building as well as around the district and beyond. Along with partner-in-crime Tavia Clark, Mollee has co-created QuickTechbyTM.com, and the #YearofYA twitter book club (bit.ly/yearofya). They are the social media co-chairs for NCSLMA and are part of the NC Digital Leaders Coaching Network (NCDLCN) through the Friday Institute.
Christopher Howell
Media Coordinator
Millbrook High School
chowell@wcpss.net
Christopher L. Howell graduated from Mount Olive College with a bachelor’s degree in Religion and a master’s degree in Educational Media and Technology from The College of Saint Scholastica. Chris began working at Ayden-Grifton High school as a Student Management coordinator for six years, and two years in the media center. He then moved to Ayden Middle school where he was the Media Specialist for four years. On March 2012, he was recognized as Pitt County Schools’ Employee of the Month. He later moved to the Wake county area and worked at Wake Young Men’s Leadership Academy as the Media Specialist for three years. He currently works at Millbrook High school as the Media Specialist. Chris enjoys reading, church and spending time with his family.
Betty Debnam Hunt
Creator of The Mini Page
From 1969 to 2007, Betty Debnam Hunt taught the nation’s children, and many adults as well, as creator and founding editor of The Mini Page, an award-winning weekly feature syndicated in more than 500 newspapers across the United States. Debnam Hunt considers The Mini Page a form of mass media education, written in simple, easy-to-understand terms. In thirty seven years, she never missed a deadline.
Born in Norfolk, Virginia and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, Betty Debnam boasts a strong background in journalism and education. Her grandmother, grandfather, and father (W.E. Debnam, a popular radio and television commentator) were all newspaper editors. Ms. Debnam holds an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina (’52) and a Master’s degree in education from Duke University (’63). Following graduation from UNC, Debnam worked as an advertising copywriter, alumni secretary, and public relations professional. But it was during her twelve year career as an elementary school teacher that Debnam developed the idea for what would become The Mini Page.
Debnam has been awarded many distinguished achievement awards for her contributions to education and journalism, including more than 20 from the Educational Press Association. She has also received a Newspaper Association of America Lifetime Achievement Award, the North Carolina Award (the highest honor that the State of North Carolina can bestow), and has been inducted into the North Carolina Journalism Hall of Fame, the Newspapers in Education Hall of Fame, and the Association of Educational Publishers Hall of Fame.
Sarah Lanier
AIG Teacher
C. M. Eppes Middle School
laniers@pitt.k12.nc.us
Sarah Lanier is an AIG teacher at C.M. Eppes Middle School. She is a graduate of East Carolina University with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education (K-6) and a Master’s degree in Elementary Education (K-6) and her AIG licensure (K-12). She has taught fifth grade and is currently on her fifth year teaching AIG middle school students. She is the coach/sponsor of the Beta Club, FLL Robotics Club, Robox Club, and Twelve Knowledge Club. She attended a two week training this summer at ECU for makerspace equipment training and co-teaches a makerspace class with Amelia White at C.M. Eppes Middle School.
Cheryl Lederle
Educational Resources Specialist
Library of Congress
cled@loc.gov
Cheryl Lederle has worked as an Educational Resources Specialist at the Library of Congress since December of 2003. In that role, she has advanced the Library’s educational mission by providing professional development, both in person and via webinar. She has also played a significant role in shaping the Library’s online repository of classroom materials and resources for teachers, www.loc.gov/teachers, and continues to contribute to the development of those materials. She has fifteen years’ experience teaching English at both the high school and community college levels.
Michelle Milliken
Librarian
Sampson County Schools
mbm0717@gmail.com
Michelle Milliken is an ECU MLS graduate, and has a B.A. in English. She has worked at all levels of PreK-12 and is currently the Librarian at Midway Elementary School.
Abby Moore
Education Librarian
UNC Charlotte
amoor164@uncc.edu
Abby Moore is an Education Librarian at UNC Charlotte. For three years prior to joining the library faculty at UNC Charlotte, she was an Education Librarian at the University of South Dakota. Additionally, she teaches in the UNCG Library and Information Studies graduate program as well as the UNCC College of Education graduate program. When she isn’t working, Abby can be found outside reading or exploring.
Blake Norby
Library Media Coordinator
Fuquay-Varina High School
bnorby@wcpss.net
Blake graduated with a BA from NC State University and earned her MLS from East Carolina University. She worked in school libraries for the past 9 years and presented several times to schools and state organizations, including NCSLMA. She is currently working as a library media coordinator at Fuquay-Varina High School, reviews books for VOYA magazine and has a passion for helping teens foster a love for reading.
Mary Ellen Oxendine
Media Coordinator
Cumberland County Schools
maryellenoxendine@ccs.k12.nc.us
Mary Ellen Oxendine is a Media Coordinator with the Cumberland County School system and Secretary of the NCSLMA Executive Board. She is currently serving the needs of students at Gray’s Creek Middle School where she has been since August 2008.
Kathy Parker
School Library Media Consultant
NC Department of Public Instruction
kathy.parker@dpi.nc.gov
Kathy is a Raleigh native who answered the call to be a lifelong educator. She graduated with degrees in English and History from North Carolina State University and earned ESL certification and a master’s degree in Library Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She began her career in education as a high school English teacher before transitioning to school library media. In 2008, she earned National Board Certification in library media. Joining the NC Department of Public Instruction in 2012, she is currently the state’s School Library Media Consultant in the Division of Digital Teaching and Learning.
Sharon Phillips
Media Coordinator
Wahl-Coates Elementary School
phillis@pitt.k12.nc.us
Mrs. Phillips is a Media Coordinator in her 23rd year of service in education. She spent the first 8 years of her career in a 3rd grade classroom, and the remaining 15 years in a school library setting. She has a BS and MAED in Elementary Education from ECU, and is certified in MLS (ECU). She has spent the past 14 years working in an elementary school media center.
Colleen Pinyan
Media Specialist
Brooks Global Studies
pinyans@gcsnc.com
Colleen Pinyan is the Media Specialist at Brooks Global Studies Magnet School in Greensboro, NC. An MLS graduate from ECU, she has twice facilitated sessions at the Librarian to Librarian Networking Summit. She also led sessions on global resources and instruction at the Guilford County Schools Global Conference.
Julie Powell
Regional Contract Furniture Specialist
Carolina Furnishing + Design
jpowell@cfplusd.com
Julie Powell is the Regional Contract Furniture Specialist for Carolina Furnishing + Design. With a focus on education, she has over 15 years of experience working on library projects – for new schools, remodels, and renovations. She has been fortunate to work on library projects with Pitt County Schools for the past several years by providing space planning, collaboration, and furniture solutions for their schools. She attends and participates in annual conferences such as the NC School Library Association, NC Public Library Association, Cumberland County Schools Annual Information Technology and Media Services Meeting, and most recently – Ed Spaces Conference and Expo in New Orleans. Her focus is promoting furniture solutions that provide an environment of collaboration, creativity, and problem solving with selections that are adaptable, flexible, and mobile in keeping with 21st Century Spaces.
Shanda Robbins
Media Coordinator
Town Creek E.S.
smmoore@bcswan.net
Shanda Robbins has been media coordinator at Town Creek Elementary for 3 years. Her school uses several iPad mini-labs for instruction.
Stephanie Rous
Media Coordinator
Corinth Holders High School
stephanierous@johnston.k12.nc.us
Stephanie Rous taught middle school for 11 years before obtaining her Masters of Library Science from ECU. She spent 8-1/2 years in the elementary school library and then moved into a high school media center. She once had a media assistant, had co-media coordinators, and has been a lone librarian teaching up to 50 kindergartners the Super 3 Research Skills. Throughout it all she has learned to smile, be creative, and get it all done while trying to have fun in the library.
Sheila Scott
Media Coordinator
Rolesville High School Wake County Schools
sscott@wcpss.net
Sheila received her Master’s Degree in Library Science from East Carolina University, and earned her Bachelor’s Degree, with a dual major in Human Development and Social Work, from Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts. After moving to North Carolina from Massachusetts in 1998, she completed her NC Teacher License requirements at North Carolina Central University and taught in an elementary school for ten years prior to moving into the library. She is in her first year at Rolesville High School, and sixth year in a school library.
Julie Sloup
Media Coordinator
Virginia Williamson E.S.
jsloup@bcswan.net
Julie Sloup is a former 4th/5th classroom teacher who has spent the last 7 years in the elementary media center. She has always been interested in using technology in the classroom and jumped on the coding bandwagon this past year, continuing school-wide (K-5) implementation this year and working beyond just an Hour of Code.
John E. Smith
Media Coordinator
Heritage High School
jsmith6@wcpss.net
John earned his MLS from East Carolina in 2014. He has been an educator for seven years and has spent the past three years as media coordinator with Person County Schools and the Wake County Public School System.
Katherine Toriello
School Media Coordinator
G.R. Whitfield School
torielk@pitt.k12.nc.us
Katherine is in her seventh year as a Media Coordinator and has been at G.R Whitfield, a K-8 school in Pitt County, for the past five years. Before she became a Media Coordinator, she was a high school English teacher. She was born and reared in Ohio, but has been slowly teaching her way around the U.S. So far, she has taught in Ohio, Illinois, Louisiana, and North Carolina. Katherine earned her Master of Science in Teaching at the University of Dayton in Ohio, and her Master of Library Science at East Carolina University. Katherine will host her fourth SLAM this year at her school, and every year she learns a “little something” new. She shared this information at a session at this year’s NCSLMA, and she wants to share it with you.
Judy Walker
Education Librarian
UNC Charlotte
jwalker@uncc.edu
Although I have been an academic librarian for many years, I am still an elementary media specialist at heart. I work with education students and faculty in much the same way a school media specialist does. My love of all things “techie” goes back to my first Apple computer in 1982. I am passionate about integrating quality technology effectively into the curriculum and use a variety of technologies in my day-to-day work.
Angela West
Media Coordinator
Riverwood Elementary School
angelawest@johnston.k12.nc.us
Angela West has taught in public and private elementary schools and homeschooled for over 15 years. She earned her Masters of Library Science from ECU. She started in the library at an elementary school that had 2 media coordinators (and what a blessing and great learning experience that was!). Now, she works at K-5 elementary school as the lone librarian, teaching 6 classes a day in addition to running the media center and all which that entails, utilizing as many people and resources as possible to get the job done.
Amelia White
Media Coordinator
C. M. Eppes Middle School
whitea1@pitt.k12.nc.us
Amelia White is the Media Coordinator at C.M. Eppes Middle School, and her 6th year working with Pitt County Schools. She previously taught 6th grade ELA for four years and is now in her second year as a media coordinator. She is the Battle of the Books Coach and the FLL Robotics Club Assistant Coach. In addition, she currently in the East Carolina University Master of Library Science Program with plans to graduate in December 2016. The Innovation Lab, with makerspace equipment, is located in the media center where Amelia and Sarah Lanier co-teach the makerspace class at C.M. Eppes.
Kellie Williams
Media Coordinator
Wintergreen Intermediate
williak4@pitt.k12.nc.us
Kellie Williams has a BS in Psychology from North Carolina State University. She received her MLS from East Carolina University in 2013. This is her fifth year as a Media Coordinator with Pitt County Schools and has recently transformed her media center into a future ready learning environment.
Emily Yates
Library Media Specialist
Green Hope High School
eyates@wcpss.net
Emily Yates received a BA in English from Mount Holyoke College, and a MSLS from UNC-Chapel Hill. She is currently one of the Media Specialists at Green Hope High School in Wake County.
Elaine Yontz
Professor
East Carolina University
yontzm@ecu.edu
Elaine Yontz is a professor in the Master of Library Science Program at East Carolina University. She previously served on library science faculties at Valdosta State University and the University of South Florida and on the professional library staff at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Dr. Rhonda Zayas-Palmer
Lower School Librarian
Ravenscroft School
rhonda.zayas-palmer@ravenscroft.org
Rhonda Zayas-Palmer is the Lower School Librarian at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is Rhonda’s ninth year at Ravenscroft. The library serves prekindergarten through fifth grade students on a fixed schedule. Additionally, the library supports the reading program by allowing students to bookshop for reading texts. Prior to joining Ravenscroft, Rhonda worked in various perinatal nursing positions. Rhonda holds an MLS from East Carolina University as well as B.S. in biology from Allegheny College and a Doctorate in Nursing from Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Zayas-Palmer presented at last year’s NCAIS Conference (Digital Citizenship), The Perfect Blend, at Cary Academy.